Kigali, Rwanda Monday 11th August 2025: The East African Business Council (EABC), in partnership with the East African Community (EAC), GIZ, East African Development Bank (EADB), ISUZU East Africa, RSM Eastern Africa and African Development Bank (AfDB) has welcomed business leaders in Rwanda to participate in the upcoming the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, slated to take place on 16th–17th October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Speaking during the press conference, Mr. Dennis Karera, EABC Vice Chairperson stated that the theme for this year’s Summit is: “Promoting Private Sector-Driven Regional Integration for Increased Intra- and Extra-EAC Trade and Investment” with the tagline: “EAC Rising: From Reform to Results in a Thriving Pan-African Market.”
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, Clementine Mukeka, stated: “The EAC is the most integrated regional economic bloc in Africa and reiterated the Government’s commitment to structured public–private dialogue and finding solutions to boost intra-EAC trade for improved livelihoods of East Africans.”
Mr. Adrian Raphael Njau, Acting EABC Executive Director, said that the 2025 Summit will reflect on the progress of the 2023 Summit held in Uganda, and the resolutions emerging from the 2025 Summit will be formally presented by the EABC Chairperson to the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers to shape regional policy reforms that improve the business and investment climate in the EAC bloc.
On her part, Ms. Janet Gatera, EADB Country Manager for Rwanda, stated: “EADB is a partner in the East African Business and Investment Summit 2025. EADB has invested in impactful projects in roads, agricultural corridors, energy and has partnered with financial institutions across the region to support industrial development and SMEs — all aimed at catalyzing an integrated and sustainable EAC.”
As East Africa’s flagship platform for regional economic dialogue, the East African Business & Investment Summit convenes high-level policy decision-makers, captains of industry, investors, and development partners from the region, the African continent, and across the globe.
The 2025 Summit comes at a pivotal time, with major continental and global developments shaping the business and policy landscape. These include:
- The continued operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
- The commencement of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) implementation
- Emerging global trends such as climate change, digital transformation (artificial intelligence) and global tariff escalations.
The Summit will explore how East Africa can leverage these shifts to reposition the EAC as Africa’s premier trade and investment hub.
Driving Impact and Policy Change: Unlike traditional forums, this Summit is action-oriented. It will:
- Reflect on progress made on resolutions from the 2023 Summit held in Kampala
- Address barriers to intra- and extra-EAC trade and investment
- Unpack new business opportunities in a rapidly evolving regional and global context
- The resolutions emerging from the Summit will be formally presented by the EABC Chairperson to the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, aiming to shape regional policy reforms that improve the business and investment climate.
Summit Features
The 2025 edition is expected to attract over 600 participants and will feature:
- Plenary sessions with leading thought leaders
- Sessions on Investing & Doing Business in the EAC
- An Expo showcasing transformative technologies, services, and products from the region and beyond
- High-Level CEOs Dialogues with Ministers on Trade in Services and Manufacturing
- Business-to-Business Networking Cocktail
- Panel Discussions on: Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Open Skies: Advancing Air Transport Liberalization for a Borderless Africa, Leveraging Regional and Continental Integration
- Breakout Sessions on: Unlocking SMEs Growth, Solutions to Combat Illicit Trade,
The Summit will hold B2B Matchmaking opportunities between East African firms and counterparts from Africa and the EU, in collaboration with the Pan African Chambers of Commerce, Afrika Verein, and the European Business Council for Africa.
Government and business leaders are invited to register and exhibit at: https://eabc-online.com/businesssummit2025
